Sparks of Joy to Help Us Shine Brighter
It’s no coincidence that there are numerous holidays that celebrate light at the darkest time of the year in this hemisphere.* Adding light when it gets dark is a very human response, whether you are celebrating Diwali, Kwanzaa, the Moon Festival, Christmas, Lou Krathong, or of course, Chanukah! Each of us can “be a light” and brighten the world this December.
As you get ready to celebrate Chanukah (the festival of lights, which starts on Wednesday, December 25th at sundown) with your family, it’s a great time to explore this idea of adding light by brightening someone else’s day, kindling a friendship, or igniting a desire to do good for others. You can brainstorm ways to add light with your older children or model one way of adding light for your young ones by initiating a volunteering or giving-back experience.
Here are some bright ideas for adding light to the world. Please share your own to grow this list!
- Shopping for the holidays? Invite your child to pick out some extra groceries, mittens, or toys to give to someone who would not have them otherwise.
- Have some extra time? Volunteer at a local agency to prepare or deliver food, wrap presents, or visit someone who is sick or lonely.
- Want to do it from home? You can write holiday greetings for residents at a seniors home, make a snack basket for delivery people who have increased stops in your neighborhood, or collect and wash gently-used winter items to donate for those experiencing homelessness.
I hope that you’ll carry this spark of an idea throughout the month and all year long. Please let me know how you do!
While you’re planning out your holiday, add these family-friendly Chanukah events to your calendar.
Chag Urim Sameach (happy festival of lights),
Sarah
* Check out the new PJ Library book, Hanukkah Upside Down by Elissa Brent Weisman, for an adorable story of cousins who both celebrate the holiday, but one from the US and one from New Zealand. They find that even if the experience seems opposite, many of it is the same the world over!
Additional Resources
If you’d like to learn more about Chanukah, here are some ideas: